Fiji · Samoa · Tonga · PNG · Aotearoa New Zealand
Six words per country changes every interaction
A greeting and a thank-you in the local language do more work in the Pacific than fluent English.
You are not expected to learn a Pacific language. You are expected to try. A greeting, a thank-you and a polite refusal in the language of the place you are standing in will change the temperature of almost every exchange — at a market, on a boat, at a village gate.
Fijian
Bula, vinaka, and the long version
“Bula” is the everyday greeting, “bula vinaka” its warmer form. “Vinaka” is thank you and “vinaka vaka levu” is thank you very much. “Io” is yes, “sega” is no, “moce” (pronounced roughly mo-they) is goodbye.
Samoan
Talofa and faʻafetai
“Talofa” greets, “tālofa lava” greets more warmly. “Faʻafetai” is thank you, “faʻafetai tele lava” thank you very much. “Ioe” is yes, “leai” is no, “tōfā” is goodbye. “Fa'amolemole” is please.
Reference: Samoa Tourism Authority
Tongan
Mālō e lelei
“Mālō e lelei” is the standard greeting. “Mālō ʻaupito” is thank you very much. “ʻIo” is yes, “ʻikai” is no, “ʻalu ā” and “nofo ā” are the goodbyes said by the person leaving and the person staying respectively.
Tok Pisin
It is easier than it looks
Tok Pisin rewards a few minutes of study. “Gutpela moning” good morning, “tenkyu tru” thank you very much, “mi laik…” I would like…, “hamas?” how much?, “em i orait” that's fine, “lukim yu” see you.
Te reo Māori
Kia ora is a greeting, not a slogan
“Kia ora” greets and also thanks; “tēnā koe” is a more formal greeting to one person. “Ngā mihi” conveys thanks or regards, “haere rā” is goodbye to someone leaving. Pronunciation matters more than vocabulary size — vowels are consistent and worth ten minutes with an audio dictionary.
Reference: Te Aka Māori Dictionary
Questions visitors ask
Will people be offended if I mispronounce things?
Almost never. Trying is the signal that lands. Ask someone to correct you and they usually will, happily.
Is English widely spoken?
Widely, in much of the region — but that is not the point. Using the local greeting marks you as a guest rather than a tourist passing through.
Which language should I learn if I am island-hopping?
Learn the greeting for each country rather than one language for the region. Pacific languages are not mutually intelligible and using the wrong one lands badly.
Revised August 2026. Protocol varies by island and by village; on the ground your host is the authority.